Nature ReachA hunter that lives in a pride
Meet the lion and its pride
Panthera leo
A lion resting under a tree gives us one glimpse of its day. Later, as daylight fades, the pride may become much more active.
Listen in Nature Reach
These are the same real voice recordings children hear in the app.
Grassland with places to hide and rest
In East Africa, lions live in landscapes such as the Serengeti and Maasai Mara. Grassland provides prey, while trees and bushes offer shade and cover.
Resting by day, active after dusk
Lions live in groups called prides. They hunt plant-eating animals and rest in the shade, usually spending much of the day resting and becoming more active from late afternoon into the night.
Three things to notice
- A lion's roar can carry for several kilometres.
- Lionesses often hunt together, approaching prey from different directions.
- Lion cubs have spots that usually fade as they grow; some may remain on the belly.
Food and shelter on the savanna
Hunting zebras
Zebras are among the plant-eating animals lions hunt. This connects a grass-eater to a meat-eater in the savanna food web.
Resting beneath an acacia
An umbrella thorn acacia casts a patch of shade where a lion can rest during the heat of the day.
Hunting wildebeest
Wildebeest are another important prey animal. Their herds provide food for lions in the Serengeti ecosystem.
Find the lion in Nature Reach
Open the free savanna map and look for a lion. Tap to hear its name and introduction, then explore the animals and plants connected to it.
Explore the savanna
Meet another species
Zebra
Equus quagga
A zebra's coat is covered in stripes, but the pattern is its own. Look beyond the stripes to discover a life spent grazing and moving with other zebras.
Meet this species
Umbrella thorn acacia
Vachellia spp.
Its spreading crown makes a patch of shade on a sunny plain. For animals, this tree can offer somewhere to rest or something to eat.
Meet this species
Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
A warthog may lower itself onto its front legs while feeding. A nearby burrow gives this busy forager somewhere to shelter.
Meet this species
Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
A herd may pause to graze, then move on as food changes with the seasons. In the Serengeti and Maasai Mara, this journey links many parts of the landscape.
Meet this species
White-backed vulture
Gyps africanus
A vulture circling overhead is searching for food on the ground. Its meal comes from an animal that has already died.
Meet this species
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Notice the impala's curved horns and light-footed movements. Only males have those horns.
Meet this speciesSources
- Lion biology, Animal Diversity Web
- Lion behaviour and cubs, Smithsonian National Zoo
- Daily life, University of Minnesota Lion Research Center
Reviewed by Nature Reach on 28/09/2026.